The best MTB trails around Menorca

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Majestic and visible from all over the town, this Gothic church dominates the historic centre with its pale stone façade and slender bell tower. The interior is spacious and bright, a calm space that contrasts with the narrow streets of the surrounding area. On a mountain bike, it is a good stop to rest and refill your water at the nearby springs. Tip: take the opportunity to climb up to the upper square - from there the views of the rooftops of Alaior and the Menorcan landscape are wonderful.

An old defensive tower from the 19th century located at the entrance to the natural port of Sanitja, in the north of the island. From here, the arrival of ships and pirates was monitored, and it still retains its air of a solitary fortress facing the sea. The surroundings are spectacular, with remains of the Roman port of Sa Nitja and a silence broken only by the wind and the seagulls. By mountain bike, you can get there by dirt track with rocky but easy sections. Tip: combine the visit with the Cavalleria Lighthouse — it is a short route, full of history and with views that will leave you breathless.

A small talayotic complex surrounded by fields and dry stone walls, where two imposing talayots still stand, dominating the landscape. The place preserves the most rural and authentic essence of Menorca, far from the tourist routes. By mountain bike, you can reach it via farm roads with irregular but cycleable sections, ideal for enjoying the calm and the sound of birds. Tip: take advantage of the shade of a pine tree to rest and imagine what life must have been like here three millennia ago — the talayots still seem to watch over everything.

The highest point on the island, at 358 metres and with 360° views over all of Menorca: from the port of Maó to Ciutadella. At the top is the sanctuary of the Mare de Déu del Toro and a small, charming café. The atmosphere is peaceful and spiritual, ideal for a long break. By mountain bike, the climb from Es Mercadal is short but intense, with a constant slope and tight bends; you need to regulate your pace well and not be fooled by the first gentle stretch. Tip: if you can, crown at sunset — the sunset from the summit is one of the most beautiful on the island.

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To the northwest of the island and just 6 kilometres by car from Ciutadella, you will come to the Punta Nati lighthouse, built in the middle of an arid, enveloping and almost magical place. In this island full of contrasts that is Menorca, Punta Nati is another exceptional attraction. It can be reached by a narrow road with a cycle path flanked on both sides by stone walls, called "paret seca" (dry wall) by the island's inhabitants. It is a recommended visit for all history lovers, for those who want to admire nature in its purest state, for people looking for a quiet place or for those who long for a unique refuge from where they can watch the sunset. Approaching the Punta Nati lighthouse at night to admire the stars is another activity not to be missed. Punta Nati, with the island of Mallorca on the horizon, is one of the most affected extremes of the coast due to the constant sea currents, the influence of the north winds and the formation of impressive "Bufadors": incredible waves that during stormy days, infiltrate between the cavities of the rocks of the cliff and that, pushed upwards, jump out of the ground near the lighthouse, taking the form of incredible columns of water. The continuous shipwrecks that occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, in particular that of the French steamship Général Chanzy, were the main reason for its construction in 1912. The lighthouse was inaugurated on September 1, 1913, and is still there, with its fenced perimeter, its 11.5 meters of height, and its flashing light distinguishable from 26 miles away. The landscape that surrounds Punta Nati is arid, has very little vegetation and the flat relief of the land ends in an impervious cliff. The particular characteristics of the dry wall outline numerous accesses and paths in the area, among which it is possible to glimpse stone houses where livestock were usually sheltered in case of bad weather.

Stunning views